“We believe the discriminations against the effects of compulsory hijab on the queer people have often been neglected,” Qiasi said.
It’s worth noting that plenty of women around the world make the choice to wear hijab, and the garment is not inherently a symbol of oppression. The key word is “choice.” As the Amini protests show, any kind of government-mandated control over religious coverings can have devastating consequences for those who are deemed disobedient. That includes France’s potential ban on wearing the hijab in sports competitions.
As for the human trafficking allegations against Zahra Sedighi-Hamedani and Elham Chubdar, Qiasi added that the sentences have had “drastic” effects on the community: “It is a form of repression and escalates the fear levels within the community.”
Qiasi and a wider coalition of Iranian LGBTQ+ activists expressed a desire to see the Islamic regime overturned in a statement published on the “left cultural news” website Akhbar Rooz. They are calling on western leaders to stand with the people of Iran and cease negotiations with the Iranian government, calling out President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron specifically.
“Due to the existing gender apartheid within the current regime and the shariah laws which the Islamic regime functions under, the Iranian LGBTQ+ community believes that no fundamental change can happen as long as the Islamic regime is in power,” Qiasi said. “In other words the ultimate freedom of the Iranian LGBTQ+ community happens through the change of the Islamic regime.”
But Qiasi also stressed that in addition to world leaders, everyone in the LGBTQ+ community must also do their part to help Iran. “I believe the international queer community needs to acknowledge their privileges, and use this privilege to reach freedom for all queer [people],” Qiasi said. “Considering the fact that the Iranian LGBTQ+ community has always been trying to get their most basic human rights, it could be a great source of inspiration for others.”
Qiasi concluded, “Be the unheard voice of Iranian queer community, spread our voices, spread our stories, and acknowledge our existence and resistance in Iran.”
This article originally appeared on Them.
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